Saving the Savior
by Trish Tavor
Summary: A short one-shot that takes place right before the last scene of 6x05. Just wanted to expound on what I saw as being a bit lacking in Killian/Emma interaction after he found out that she had lied. Hope you enjoy!


Emma bit her lip, as first Regina with Jasmine, and then her parents and Henry filed out of the apartment. She knew that apologizing to Hook – Killian – in front of her parents had been a bit of a cop out, but she hadn't expected that she'd need to resolve it this soon. As expected, her pirate stayed seated, his eyes fixated on the table and his face an unreadable mask. Even when the room was empty, save for the two of them, he didn't move. Letting her eyes drift around the room, Emma remained silent for another moment, inwardly hoping that he would speak first, though she knew that was unfair. The silence was deafening, and finally she broke it.

"Killian, I…I really am…"

"What, sorry?" He cut her off, finally looking up at her, his piercing gaze meeting hers. She found this was almost worse than when he had been ignoring her, and once again Emma was momentarily at a loss for words. When she finally regained her voice, only a single one slipped out.

"Yes."

Killian scowled, looking back at the table for a moment, before turning his head to once again meet her eyes. "When you asked me to move in with you, I thought it meant we were getting somewhere, Swan. I thought it meant you actually trusted me. Really, I thought our test in the Underworld proved that. Apparently I was wrong. I – "

"Killian…" It was Emma's turn to cut him off, but Killian held up a hand to silence her.

"No, Swan, let me finish. I thought things had changed between us. No more secrets. And yet, here you were lying to me all over again. And don't say it wasn't a lie, because you may have just withheld the truth from your parents, but you _lied_ to me. That night in the forest? You knew then, but I chose to trust that it was just a one time thing. I chose to trust _you_. How can I do that anymore?"

Each of the pirate's words felt like another knife in Emma's heart, and yet she knew that he was right. She'd lied to him, after everything that had happened. After he'd proven over and over that she could trust him, she'd just…gone back on it all. She couldn't just apologize and hope that things would be alright again. She looked back at Killian, but he had dropped her gaze somewhere in the middle of his little speech, and his eyes lingered on the scissors that he was fingering in his hand. She reached over and put her hand over his.

"You're right. I should have told you. I shouldn't have lied. I just…" Emma took a deep breath, knowing that he at least deserved the trust of why she had done this. Not that it would make up for anything, but it was a step in the right direction. "I just didn't want you to know that our future…it wasn't going to happen. Not unless you had to. I wanted to enjoy the time we had left, I didn't want you to be worried about me. I – "

"Why you did it doesn't matter, Swan. What matters is that you clearly can't trust me, so why are we even doing this?" Killian's voice was harsher this time, as he pulled his hand from hers and gestured between them, his meaning clear. Emma knew the pirate didn't really want to insinuate that they shouldn't be together, he was only hurt, but the suggestion stung nonetheless.

Letting out a breath, Emma took his hand again, this time in both of hers. His head turned, and once more Killian's piercing blue eyes were locked with hers. "Killian, I'm sorry. If I could change what I did, I would. I _do_ trust you, but I'm just so used to keeping secrets…it's automatic. Please, be patient with me. I still want a future with you, more than anything, and we're going to get it. Okay?" Emma didn't know if she believed her words, but she felt like she needed to say them. And maybe he needed to hear them, because inwardly she knew that her pirate's anger was as much directed at her possible death as it was about her lie.

She knew she was right when Killian let out a breath, and a significant portion of his anger drained from his gaze. A wave of relief went through her when his hand gripped onto hers in return, though the ice didn't fully leave his eyes.

"Okay, Swan," he finally said, after a silence that felt like an eternity. "But, please, no more lies. Not between us?" The final words were clearly a question, and Emma gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"No more lies. I promise." The smile she gave him was clearly half-hearted, as was the one he offered in return.

* * *

Killian reflected on this conversation, which had happened only an hour before, as he rowed his small boat, the gold-colored scissors sitting on the seat next to him. He'd told Emma he wanted to be alone, and for whatever reason she hadn't persisted in wanting to accompany him. Probably out of guilt. But whatever the reason, he was thankful. Because he already knew what he was going to do, and he didn't feel particularly guilty about it.

Emma wanted him to get rid of the golden object, the one thing that had the sure ability to save her. Killian couldn't do that. He wouldn't lose Emma. He may have changed much, but he could not lose another person he loved. But of course, he couldn't tell her, because she would just find another way to rid herself of the sheers. It was another secret, and it would mean another lie. But it was one he had to tell, one he felt entirely justified in telling.

Emma Swan had saved his life. He wouldn't stand by and watch her lose hers. Besides, she'd lied to him about how she may lose her life. He'd lie to her about how he might save it.

It was that thought which helped him, as he tossed a rock into the ocean at the drop point. After staring out at the ocean for only a moment, Killian tucked the scissors under his coat, and picked up the oars to row back to the docks.

He would save the savior, no matter the cost.


End file.
